Wichita eagle., 1887-08-27
WOMAN AND HOME.
A WIFE REEVES A HUSBAND WHO
WAS "cLEAN DISCOURAGED"

Discipline of Children-A Wise Mana
Secret of EDUCATING Them-Plenty Of
Hints on Carving.
ats the last time am going to tryl Luck
is against me, and I'll just give upl There is
no use of trying to do anything when the
odds are against you"
1t was John Harris who was doing the
talking. His wife was sewing buttons on the
children's clothes after they had gone to bed.
vent them rolling on, she had no opportunity
clination.
Mr.. Harris resumed:
3rm clean discouraged, that's what am!
OF course 1 don't think Of myself"-Mrs.
Harris lip curled little, and one button
escaped and rolled under the table-"it's you
and the children I'm worried about"-another
button rolled away-"and if it wasn't for
leaving you alone, Mary, 3D.
He did not finish what be was saying, as
just then Mrs. Harris coughed and all the but
tons few out of her mouth.
SIS it such bad failure?" she asked
presently. She was darning the children's
stockings now, having sewed on all the fugi-
tive buttons
'It couldn't be worse. When a mans
partner takes all the money out Of the bust
ness, and skips to foreign country, every
body hounds him to death as if he had been
dishonest. All the creditors are clamoring
for their money, not because they need it,
but because l haven't got it It's no use,
Mary; I'm a ruined man, and I'm going to
find way out of it all"
"Howf' asked Mrs. Harris, calmly, although
the long, slender needle she was using trem-
bled and vibrated in her hand
"There are more ways than one," he an
swered significantly. Il shall not live to see
you want, or to be burden On you and the
children. There is no dishonor attached to
my name now. We have lived within our
means and tried honestly to succeed It was
rash, suppose, to embark all in one venture
and lose it"
"You have not lost all, suggested his wife;
"you have health, wife and children ard an
unblemished character"
"Poor capital, these" retorted her husband,
gloomily. mo, l am going to give up.
tell you, Mary, I'm discouraged man. You
don't know what it is to endure business wor-
ries; women are sheltered and protected from
all those annoyances."
Are they!" answered Mss Harris with dry
lips. She had done the work of three women
that day. She had been cook and nurse, now
she was seamstreSs. She had cut and con-
trived, counted pennies and was engaged to
give music lessons to the doctors daughter,
to offset their last years bill. Her whole
frame quivered with the pain of Jared and
tangled nerves. But it never entered into
her mind that she dared to complain 1Doe
the Next Thynge," was the motto she had
framed and hung up where she could see it
many times a day.
"As | say" continued her husband after a
spell of gloomy thought, there's a way out
OF it, ana many a man has been driven to it.
l won't live and be prosecuted by mob of
If were out of the way you
and the children would have enough to live
on comfortably the rest of your lives. It's
only anticipating our final fate by few
months or years"
Mrs Harris folded the last pair of stock
ngs and laid them neatly away. A little
smile lowered about her lips
John" she said in frsn voice, II have a |
asst favor to ask of you"
"What is it, Mary4'
Don't die in the house!p
Before the astonished man could speak, she |
continued:
"Because it would be so unpleasant for the |
children and for me. It is our home. have |
he deed of it In my possession, sent to me by |
ny father yesterday. And / should hate to |
nave any unpleasant associations connected !
with it. l should very much dislike to have |
you buried at the four corners near here with |
\ stake. driven through you, though people |
would soon forget that we ever belonged to |
you. For l would not own to being the |
widow of coward or let my children bear |
lis name. And even if you were not held |!
| would be ashamed to think You |
lad written your own epitaph, Here lies a |
discouraged man."
John Harris was dumb with surprise
" know continued his wife, that it is a |
'avorite thing for men to say that they will |
get out of it all, and that women 40 not |
'ealize how desperate the situation is, and Q |
ot more rubbish that they ought to be |
ashamed Of"
John tried to speak, but his wife had the |
1oor. |
at is only coward who would take refuge |
n death and leave his wife and children to |
light the battle of life alone.
"And right here, john, / want that subject |
o end forever. 1t is hard enough to live |
With man who is chronically discouraged, |
out when he hints at getting out of it OBJ |
ectl"
John Harris never again made any vague |
md improbable threats, but took the dilemma |
If business by both horns and practically |
mastered it. Nor has his wife ever heard |
aim declare since that evening that he was
"a discouraged MANN L. r." In Detroit |
Free Press.